Cuba tour isn't the same old same old

ROW Adventures departs from the norm with Cuba travel, offering kayaking along the coast.

ROW Adventures departs from the norm with Cuba travel, offering kayaking along the coast. (ROW ADVENTURES)

Phil MartyChicago Tribune

This Cuba tour departs from the typical.

Travel to Cuba is the latest craze, and loosening of restrictions on travel there by U.S. citizens means many tour companies are jumping into the fray. A somewhat different approach is offered by ROW Adventures, a company that specializes in adventure travel around the world. Cuba Unbound: Adventure Tour is an eight-day itinerary that naturally looks at much of the island nation's culture but also adds in kayaking and hiking. Kayaking is in sheltered bays and in calm conditions, so it is appropriate for novice to intermediate paddlers. The trip starts and ends in Havana but then spends time kayaking in places such as the wetlands of Zapata National Park and the waters of Cayo Blanco, a key of white-sand beaches and coral reefs. For cultural exposure, there are stops such as the relatively new Museo de Ernesto Hemingway. The tour is priced from $2,995 per person double occupancy, which includes seven nights' lodging, meals, a bilingual Cuban guide and ROW Adventures representative and a variety of activities. Round-trip air from Miami is extra and should be about $500. Info: 800-451-6034, http://www.tinyurl.com/prwgmmh

Top-notch airport hotels

The folks at Jetsetter.com are at it again, this time offering their take on what are the coolest hotels in airports around the world. The list is heavily weighted toward U.S. properties, though No. 1 on the list is CitizenM Charles de Gaulle in Paris. It gets high marks for aviation-themed touches such as the model planes and blimps in public spaces. You also can watch planes taking off and landing from your room. U.S. airport hotels landing on the list of 11 include Element Miami at Miami International Airport, No. 2; Custom Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport, No. 4; The Inn at Oyster Point at San Francisco International Airport, No. 9; Loews Chicago O'Hare, No. 10; and Grand Hyatt at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, No. 11. Read all about 'em at http://www.tinyurl.com/plpmnsh.

European food done right

There's something to be said for the familiarity of chain restaurants when you're away from home and out of your comfort zone. But, when you're traveling overseas, you're missing much of the experience if you don't chow down like the locals. That's where Eating Europe comes in. With the slogan "Take a break from being a tourist," the company offers food tours in Europe's great cities of Rome, London, Amsterdam and Prague. In Rome, for example, there are daylight and twilight food tours of the Trastevere neighborhood with more than 10 food and wine tastings. Cost is about $100 per adult, $78 for ages 13-18 or $61 for under 13. There are also cooking classes in the Italian capital, though none in the other three cities. Cook Dinner with Nonna is for adults only and runs about $93. There's also a Pizza School for Kids. While the kids learn about making their own pie, adults sample cheese, cured meats, bruschetta and wine before tackling the pizza. That costs about $44 for kids and $50 for adults. Info: http://www.eatingeuropetours.com